A ski pole has at its upper or handle end a loop which is normally engaged around the wrist of the user of the ski pole so that the pole will not be lost if accidentally or intentionally released by the hand of the skier. This safety loop has, however, the considerable disadvantage that if the pole accidentally becomes lodged or wedged in an obstacle the skier's arm which is engaged through the loop can be seriously injured. Thus if for instance the ski pole catches on a branch or the like as the skier moves downhill, it is entirely possible for the skier to be yanked over backwards and have his or her arm broken.
It has been suggested to overcome this by providing an openable hand loop. In the simplest such system the loop is formed by two separate straps each having a free end and an opposite end secured to the pole. The free ends are releasably secured together by a snap or the like so that when the loop is stressed beyond a certain point the snap will open and release the encircled hand.
The considerable disadvantage of such an arrangement is that it is very difficult to make it adjustable for different sizes. Thus a skier with a particularly large or small wrist, or who wears particularly bulky ski clothes, cannot personally size the loop.